A Visit to the Museum of Odd in Lawrence, KS

A visit to the Museum of Odd is the kind of activity that really ticks all the boxes for me. The eccentric proprietor provides a truly liminal experience to the tune of a name-your-price admission. From the outside, it appears to be like any East-Lawrence craftsman, because it’s actually his home. Inside, the soft lighting from the red fringed lampshades begins to illuminate the strangest collection you’ll ever see.

After signing the guestbook with a quill, we begin the tour with the museum’s claim to fame, a sock monkey collection totalling somewhere in the 600s. They pile on a blue velvet couch that goes with the rest of the parlour furniture in the place, adding to the whole feel. A nearby table houses six glass domes covering one of, if not the largest gatherings of bezoars-that is calcified cow hairballs, one of which is more than 120 years old. Moving past questionably-preserved taxidermy, we’re shown to the back of the house, which is also the kitchen, where a pot of soup was simmering (this was a peculiar theme throughout-seeing standard necessities next to oddities; a bowl of fruit sitting on a 19th century coffin, penis folk-art on the back of the stove, etc.).

Bezoars on display

Past a beaded curtain, the best room held some prime Elvis memorabilia. Framed together, there is a lock of his hair and a toenail of dubious origin (our guide recanted a glorious tale wherein he took a tour of Graceland, spotted it on the carpet beyond the velvet rope, and stayed behind the group in order to retrieve it). There is also a square of a sheet slept of by the King, his underwear, and many black velvet paintings depicting his likeness.

After completing the formal tour, we were shown a few incredible items I won’t publicly reveal and we sat down for a nice conversation. The owner has a myriad of kooky interests and gave some recommendations around KC for further exploration. The entire episode was absolutely batty in the best way and will surely make me miss the Old Tin Kan more than I currently realize.

To visit, contact the owner-operator for an appointment through the Museum of Odd Facebook page. Keep in mind, this is fun hobby the owner runs in addition to a full-time job, so he may not always be able to accommodate an exact time/date. While donations of any amount are accepted, I personally recommend $10/head minimum as a good rule of thumb. It’s well worth it!

-Jojo